Container and method of making same



March 15, 1949. w so 2,464,278

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 2, 1945 2 Shasta-Sheet 1 awe/WM March 15, 1949. A. B. WILSON 2,464,278

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

llen .5. 11 17502:

Patented Mar. 15, 1949 CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Allen B. Wilson, Evanston, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Kimberly Stuart and Elizabeth R. E. Stuart, both of Menesha, Wis.

Application April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,190

6 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and methods of making them and is more particularly concerned with special reinforced container construction.

The use of food, oil and similar containers of relatively soft, inexpensive material such as paper, fiber board, cardboard and even soft metals and like materials has become widespread. Since such containers are usually discarded after use and represent complete loss, it is desirable to make them as inexpensively as possible, but they must be sufliciently durable and reliable to withstand normal handling. To provide this strength, it has been customary to reinforce such containers at vital places. However, as reinforcing rims and the like require special machinery for securing them to the container, it has been customary to make up reinforced containers at factories and ship them to points of use. This requires a considerable volume of shipping space for such low cost products,

The present invention contemplates a container structure wherein a tubular open-ended body member is provided with reinforced end closure members.

The reinforced end closure members, which require relatively small shipping space, are made up at factories having suitable reinforcement applying machinery and may be applied to rigid or other tubular body members fabricated at or near the point of use.

In a special embodiment the invention includes a container structure embodying a foldable or otherwise normally collapsible body member and separate reinforced end closure members which, when assembled with the body member, maintain the latter in the form desired for use, reinforce it against collapse, and prevent injury due to abrasive and impact forces. The container structure of the invention is capable of easy and inexpensive assembly and it may be shipped in sections to points of assembly or use to save shipping space, the collapsed body member occupying a great deal less space than would normally be required if the container was shipped in expanded form ready for use.

With the above in mind, it is the major object of the present invention to provide a container of relatively soft material such as paper, fiber board, cardboard, soft thin metal or the like, which is provided with a novel end closure arrangement which maintains the container against collapse and protects it against external shock and abrasive action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of making such a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel container construction wherein a tubular container body member is maintained in expanded position and reinforced transversely by the insertion of suitably formed cup-shaped end closure members, each having a rimmed periphery designed to abut against the adjacent edge of the container body member for properly locating the end closure member in the body member in position to be secured to the body. Preferably, the container body and end closure members are secured together by some suitable means such as stitching.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel container structure and method of manufacture whereby end closure members are assembled with an open-ended body member. The body member may be a generally rigid structure made locally at the point of use, or may be a collapsible structure shipped to the point of use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel container construction wherein a relatively collapsible body member is maintained expanded by suitable reinforced end closure members, the members being easy and inexpensive to assemble so that they may be packed for shipping in a minimum of space A further object of the invention is to provide a novel reinforcing rim construction for a container or the like.

Further objects of the invention will presently appear in connection with the appended claims and annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded substantially perspective view of a cylindrical container provided with reinforced end closure members according to a preferred. embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a section through the container illustrated in Figure 1 after the body member has been assembled with reinforcing end closure members according to the invention, illustrating in detail a preferred manner of rimming the end closure members and stitching them to the body member;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating exaggeratedly the manner in which the reinforcing rim on the end closure member projects sufiiciently radially outwardly of the body member so as to limit inward dis-' placement of the end closure member;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure l, but illustrating a further embodiment of the invention comprising a collapsible. container body of rectangular shape provided with reinforcing end members;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a cylindrical container structure according to a further embodiment of the invention wherein the body member is a spirally wound tube;

Figure 6 is an elevation partly in section of the assembled container of Figure 5, illustrating the novel special rim shape; and

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view according to a still further embodiment of the in- L vention wherein the body member is a generally rectangular spirally wound tube.

Referring now to Figure l, the illustrated container comprises a cylindrical body member I! and top and bottom end closure members l2 and 13, respectively, which are preferably identical.

Body member Ii is a hollow tubular member having open ends and which may be made up in any convenient manner known in the container art. For example, as illustrated in Figure 1, body member H may comprise a normally flat bendable sheet M of cardboard or the like curled in a roll to provide a cylindrical tube with a substantially annular lateral wall and with overlapping ends secured together, as by a row of longitudinal staples or stitches indicated at i 5. Since the material of sheet M is relatively thin as a general rule, the illustrated overlap is not as pronounced in practice as may appear in the drawings, the latter being exaggerated somewhat for purposes of illustration,

The material of body member I! is preferably any suitable relatively soft material such as paper, fiber board, cardboard, pliable plastic sheeting or thin metal sheeting soft and penetrable enough to be stitched. A major requisite is that the material of the body member H be relatively inexpensive, as it will sometimes be discarded after one use. While sheet it may be sufficiently self-supporting to maintain its cylindrical form after once being curled into the tubular shape illustrated in Figure l and stitched at l5, it may also be sufficiently flimsy to be normally' collapsible into a substantially flat package whereby it may be conveniently shipped along with any other body members in a minimum of shipping space.

Thus body member I I may be a relatively rigid tube or a laterally collapsible tube without departing from the spirit of the invention. Where the body member is made at or near the place of use it may be rigid, but" where it must be shipped to the place of use it is usually desirable that it be collapsible to save shipping expenses.

If desired, open-ended body member l I may be a tube made of spirally wound paper or fiber board strip material in a conventional manner. Since such spirally wound tubes are of known construction, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

End closure member I2 is a generally cupshaped member having a bottom wall l5 which functions as an endwall of the container in the assembly and has formed integrally therewith a cylindrical flange H extending longitudinally outwardly of the container body and substantially coextensive therewith as. best illustrated in Figure 2. The shape of flange l! is determined by the interior contour of body member l l into which it is to be inserted. Preferably flange H is shaped for snug friction fit within the adjacent open end of body member H, as illustrated, so as to give lateral support thereto.

End closure member i2 is preferably made of a fairly heavy grade of cardboard or some other similar inexpensive material reasonably stiff and may be considerably more self supporting than body member H. End closure member 12 is made peripherally rigid by means of a generally tubular reinforcing bead or rim G8" which extends entirely around the free edge of flange ll. As illustrated inFigure 2', rim i8 is preferably formed by laterally bending a narrow fiat strip of steel or some similar bendable metal so that its opposite lateral edges bite into the opposite sides of.

flange ll and securely grip the same so as to clinch rim Hi to end closure member l2 and enclose and protect the exposed edge of flange ll.

Preferably, rim i3 is of the arcuately bent type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,233,982, issued May 25, 1942, or No. ,342,715, issued February 29, 1944, wherein the opposite ends of a transversely arcuate rim strip are telescoped and the rim is provided with opposed lateral. edges biting into flange ll at the overlapped portions whereby an efliciently locked reinforcing rim is provided on end closure member l2. The tubular bead formed by rim l 8 is very sturdy and is clamped to flange l'i most firmly at joint 20 where the telescope-d ends of the rim strip are tightly squeezed together in a tubular interlock so that the practical efiect is substantially equivalent to a continuous tubular bead secured about flange ill, The locked rim is fixed against both lateral and longitudinal displacement. It is, however, within the scope of the invention to provide on and about the edge of flange i! any suitable reinforcing rim which will accomplish the function of suitably stiffening end closure member l2 and at the same time providing a locating abutment for limiting inward displacement of the end closure member into body member H. The joint 2!! is exaggeratedly shown in Figures 1-3 for purpose of illustration but in actual practice the joint is so tight as to be hardly distinguishable externally from a continuous bead.

The other end closure member i3 is preferably of identical construction with closure l2, and like parts are similarly numbered'in the drawings.

End closure members l2 and it; are pro-formed and provided with the reinforcing (J-shaped rim [8 at the factory in the manner described in. my abovamentioncd patent. During final assembly,

40 bottom closure member i2 is first inserted slidingly into the corresponding open end of container body member El and pushed inward until. the lower edge ii) of body member H abuts against rim i8 which projects radially outwardly of flange ll. This locates end wall it properly within body member H and, with the parts in this position, end closure member l2 and body member H are suitably secured together, as by a convenient stitching or stapling operation indicated at 21'. If desired, the co-extensive contacting surfaces of flange ll and body member ll may be provided with heat sealing material such as a rubber hydrochloride film and the members heat welded together and sealed fluid tight by a suitable heat pressure operation. It is immaterial to the practice of the invention exactly what type of fastening means is provided between the end closure members and the body member. When the container has received its contents, the other end closure member i3 is similarly inserted into the remaining open end of bod-y member H and secured thereto. The finished container may be opened at either end.

Not only do rims l8 properly locate each end wall It precisely within the container body, but they also provide protection for adjacent edges of body member l, by shielding those edges from abrasive action, as where the container is rubbed along a supporting surface, and protecting. the container ends from impact blows, as where the container is dropped or slammed onto a counter or floor.

While the body member I! may be of any desired rigidity, it is an important phase of the invention that body member I l, which occupies considerable volume as compared with the end closure members, may be collapsible so as to be shipped to its position of final assembly in collapsed condition, thereby saving several times the shipping space that would be required if the container were shipped in assembled condition. The container may be assembled at its place of use by non-skilled labor and without any special apparatus or machinery, since the assembly man simply picks up body member I i, expands it if it is a collapsed tube, and inserts and secures the end closure members.

If desired, the body member I I may be shipped to its point of assembly or use in the form of sheets I l, and curled by non-skilled labor into a suitable cylinder. Suitable longitudinal index lines may be used to indicate the correct extent of overlap of the edges of sheet l4 prior to stitching to insure proper size of body I and close fit of end members i2 and I3.

Body member ii is expanded and maintained in expanded condition substantially entirely by the inserted end closure members. Preferably, flange ll of each end closure member is made of sufiicient longitudinal depth so as to provide appreciable lateral support for body member ii and to permit stitching at 2!, and the rigidity and resistance to deformation provided by rims l8 to the end closure members is in turn imparted to the container body in which they are. mounted. The resultant container is strong, durable and inexpensive and protected against normal handling hazards at exposed parts. The rigid end closure members insure against inward collapse or outward expansion and prevent injury of the body member, and it is unnecessary to provide further reinforcement of the body member once the end closure members have been inserted and secured in position.

Figure 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention wherein a readily collapsible folding body member 22 is of rectangular cross section made from a suitable folded sheet of cardboard or the like having an overlapped longitudinal joint stitched at and having suitably formed end closure members 23 and 24 provided with reinforcing rims 25 and 26, respectively, similar to the embodiment of the invention described in Figure 1, and the telescoping ends of rims 25 and 26 are indicated at 30.

It is obvious that the invention may be applied to a tubular container of any desired cross section.

While container bodies H and 22 are illustrated as made from single sheets of material, they may be made up by helically winding strips of paper, as will be described with reference to Figures 5-7, or in any other manner well known in container manufacture. Rims l8, moreover, may be of any suitable construction known in the art provided they accomplish the aboveexplained stiffening and protecting functions. It is not essential that they be C-shaped. Rims 18 are illustrated in exaggerated proportion to demonstrate that they project outwardly sufficiently to act as abutments during assembly. In commercial construction, the rims may not project as far outwardly as illustrated so as to avoid strain on the bead and stitches when the assembled container is subject to bending load.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 7, the open-ended cylindrical body member 2'! and the open-ended tubular body member 28 which has rounded corners as indicated at 29 are fabricated by spirally winding strips of paper, cardboard, fiber board or the like on suitable mandrels in any well known manner of making such tubular container bodies. Machines capable of making such spirally wound body members are in widespread use and are available in or near most localities, so that even though such body members are fairly rigid and self-supporting they can be made near the point of use and present no shipping problems.

As illustrated in Figure 6, the cylindrical cupshaped end closure members i2 and 13 are provided with tubular reinforcing rims 3| which are generally C-shaped in cross-section but differ in shape from the substantially circular crosssection rims of Figures 1 and 4. Rims 3| have their opposite ends telescoped and clinched together to provide a tight joint at 30.

Each rim 3! comprises an arcuately bent metal strip having its opposite lateral edges bitingly clinched into opposite sides of flange H. The illustrated shape of bead 3| is especially adapted for purposes of the invention since it comprises a relatively small inner section 32 of minimum length and a larger bulbous outer section 33. As illustrated in Figure 6, the relatively ovate crosssection of rim 3! provides a relatively flat bottom surface 34 upon which the container may rest with good stability, and the relatively large exterior projection at 33 thereof overhangs the edge of the body side wall to a considerable extent to provide an efiicient abutment therefor. A rim of the ovate shape of rim 3! employs less rim strip material than a circular cross-section rim because inner section 32 is made of minimum size while outer section 33 needs only extend radially outwardly a distance approximately equal to the body side wall thickness. Also the side 35 of ovate rim 3i which abuts the edge of the body member is substantially normal thereto.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 7, cup-shaped end closure members 36 and 31 are formed to the contour of body member 28 and have rounded corners 38 similar to corners 29. These rounded corners facilitate securing the rim strips 39 which are preferably similar in cross-section to rims 3! in place.

Rims 35 and 39 are preferably applied to the respective end closure members similarly to rims l8 in the manner disclosed in said above mentioned patents by using suitable rim shaping and bending dies.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a tubular body, an end closure therefor comprising a cup-shaped member of relatively soft material having an end wall inwardly spaced from one end of said tubular body and a tubular flange in telescoped engagement with the body wall integral with said end wall and projecting in parallel relation with said body wall outwardly beyond the end edge of said body wall, a continuous hollow, metallic bead of C-shaped form in cross section embracing substantially the entire externally projecting portion of said flange, with the opposite lat- 7 eral edges of said bead biting into the material of said closure member at opposite sides of said flange, and additional means permanently securing said flange of the closure member to th tubular body Wall. I

2. A container as described in claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises a row of stitches spaced from said end Wall of the closure member and said bead, and one edge of said bead at the outer side of said flange is in direct bearing contact with the end edge of the tubular body Wall.

3. A container as described in claim 1 Wherein said bead at the outer side of said flange has a relatively flat edge portion in contact With the end edge surface of the tubular body Wall substantially throughout its area.

4. A container as described in claim 1, wherein said bead is disposed in non-symmetrical relation to the flange of the closure member with the major part thereof extending radially outward from said flange and in contact With the end edge of the tubular body Wall.

5. A pre-rimmed closure for a tubular container comprising a closure member formed with an edge adapted to be disposed substantially longitudinally of said container, and a rim enclosing and encircling said edge, said rim being generall C-shaped in cross-section and having its opposite lateral edges tightly gripping opposite sides of said member adjacent said edge in high pressure small area zones of engagement and said rim extending radially outwardly from said edge a distance greater than it extends radially inwardly therefrom so as to provide an ample abutment for contacting the associated end 01? the container when the latter is fitted with said closure.

6. A container comprising a tubular body open at its ends, and means for closing one end of said body comprising a non-metallic cup-shaped pre-rimmed closure member permanently secured in telescoped supporting relation Within said one end of the body With its open end projecting from said body beyond the adjacent edge of the body at said one end, and a tubular reenforcin rim of substantially C-shaped cross section clenched about and along the projecting edge of said closure member with its opposite lateral edges biting into the material of said closure at opposite sides of said projecting edge, and With said rim substantially abutting the adjacent edge at said one end of the container body.

ALLEN B. WILSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 532,954 Grimm Jan. 22, 1895 2,084,179 Arnold June 15, 1937 2,094,683 Shepard Oct. 5, 1937- 2,158,549 Link May 16, 1939 2,342,715 Wilson Feb. 29, 1944 2,359,335 Stuart et a1. Oct. 3, 1944 2,393,347 Stuart et a1. Jan. 22, 1946 

